The President of the Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, Yakubu Maikyau, has said President Bola Tinubu remains the legitimate President of Nigeria unless the court rules otherwise.

Daily Nigerian reports that Mr Tinubu’s victory is being challenged by candidates of the People Democratic Party, PDP, Atiku Abubakar, and the Labour Party, Peter Obi, at the presidential election petition tribunal.

But speaking during the presentation of the communiqué of the 63rd annual NBA conference in Abuja on Sunday, Mr Maikyau noted that irrespective of pending petitions at the presidential election petition tribunal, Mr Tinubu remains the President.

He, therefore, called for respect for the government and its policies and programmes.

He said: “There is only one president and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces in the person of President Bola Tinubu.”

He noted that the position is predicated on the “provisions of the Constitution and the relevant extant laws promulgated by the National Assembly”.

“There is nowhere you will find any law that says because an election is being challenged, then a person’s election that is being challenged is an illegal government; it’s unconstitutional.

“That is wrong; that is absolutely an abdication of our responsibility to give direction to the people of the country.

“We are misleading the people. And let me tell you, we (lawyers) are very influential because of the position we hold because the people of this country expect us to guide them on the provisions of the law.

“That is why we must be measured in the way we speak. We can’t afford to speak anyhow because of that responsibility,” he said.

While defending the invitation extended to the president to declare open the just concluded NBA Conference, Mr Maikyau reiterated his position, warning against disrespecting the office.

“So, please, I went to the president because today, there is only one president and Commander-in-Chief of the Federal Republic. If you are a petitioner in the Election Petition Tribunal, the law calls you a petitioner, not president.

“And that is the law. If there’s anybody who questions this position of the law, let me know. So, that is why we went to him. We are very cultured people, if the law says this is what it is, we will follow it,” he added.

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